I can't breathe without you
by mexxi30031
Summary: Modern AU about the Musketeers. King Louis is a drug mafia boss. He ownes the french underground. His Cousin Anne is for a visit there. The three Musketeers are her bodyguards. Or is Aramis more... What is with Constance and D'Artagnan I already puplished this story in german. But now, thanks to niagaraweasel for the translation
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The sun slowly rose above the horizon. Four figures, blinded by the sunlight, were talking together in low voices. The first one, his name was Athos, was hidden in the shadows, contributing very little to the conversation. He was wearing dark grey jeans and a light grey t-shirt, combined with a black leather jacket with an off-center zipper, a matching scarf and black biker boots.

The second man, Porthos, was also wearing ark jeans, but with a white shirt and a dark blue, slim-fitting sports coat, with horn-rimmed sunglasses protecting his eyes. He had decided on fawn-coloured leather boots. He was relaxing on a wooden bench, his arms stretched out along the backrest on either side.

The eyes of D'Artagnan, the third member of the group, kept straying over to the railway tracks. He had chosen a more colourful attire, consisting of a pair of orange, slim-fitting jeans, a grey t-shirt with orange print, a black cardigan and black sneakers. A grey cap with an orange bill was on his head and a chain with a small wooden pendant hung around his neck.

The last member of the group, Aramis, cut off a piece of his apple, looking as if he didn't have a care in this world. He had decided on black jeans, a blue shirt with a small black checkered tie and a black cardigan, combined with brown boots.

"When is she going to be here? Is the TGV usually late or should we begin to worry?" D'Artagnan glanced around the group decisively. He was younger than the others, which might explain that he was a little wilder, full of determination and energy.

"Calm down, we were fifteen minutes early. According to the internet the train is five minutes late, so everything is OK. Enjoy the rest, the next few months are looking rather grim." Aramis took a last bite of his apple and threw the core on the gravel between the tracks.

"Do you think it will be hard work guarding Louis' cousin?" Porthos asked, squinting into the sun.

"She's his cousin. Louis is one of the richest and most powerful men in France, possibly in all of Europe. As his closest relative, she makes a very good target. We need to be on our guard." D'Artagnan nodded seriously at Athos. Both of them understood the seriousness of the situation. "She will be accompanied by a friend, so we'll have two potential targets.

"Oh great…" Porthos was not exactly happy with the situation. Like his three friends, he was in the employ of Louis and his honour and sense of duty didn't allow him to reject this task.

A few minutes later the TGV arrived. Not many people got off at Foret, the closest station to Fontainbleau. Aramis immediately noticed a young blonde woman, dressed elegantly but youthfully. She practically radiated a combination of happiness and serenity, so that he completely overlooked the young brunette behind her. Porthos looked at his friend and followed his gaze. He, too, thought the stranger very beautiful, but unlike his friend it didn't take him long to recognize her.

"Don't stare like that. That's Anne, Louis' cousin. Our job." he murmured to him.

"A woman of breathtaking beauty," Aramis declared, unable to keep his eyes off her.

"He's becoming a romantic again," Athos sighed. The atmosphere became too exhausting for him, so he slowly approached the two women and gave them a small bow. "Mesdames, may I bid you welcome at Fontainbleau?".

"Your cousin has sent us to guarantee your safety," he addressed Anne. "I hope your journey was comfortable and without problems? My name is Athos, over there is Porthos and this is…."

Aramis stepped beside his friend, took the blonde woman's hand and kissed it. "I am Aramis and very pleased to make your acquaintance."

Anne was captivated by the eyes of the man, but she managed to remember her manners. "Thank you for waiting for us. The journey from Madrid was long, but we managed to while away the time. May I introduce Constance, my oldest and best friend." The brunette nodded at everyone in greeting.

"Okay, it's a little too open for you here. We should go to the chateau. Anne will come with Aramis and myself, Constance, you'll go with Porthos and D'Artagnan."

Aramis and D'Artagnan both offered their arms to the ladies, so that Porthos and Aramis were left to carry the suitcases.

"Anne's cousin lives in a chateau?" Constance asked D'Artagnan, incredulously.

"Yes, at Chateau Fontainbleau. He is a very rich and powerful man and his residence underlines that image. But don't worry, you will be safe there. The gardens and the house are very beautiful."

The small group headed for the parking lot, where they climbed into two black Volvos with tinted windows, before the little convoy drove off to the chateau.


	2. Chateau Fontainbleau

**Chateau Fontainbleau**

Constance stepped out of the car. The stately home before her was larger than everything she had ever seen.

"Did I promise too much?" D'Artagnan was still holding the door open for her, giving her a knowing grin. The first time he had seen Chateau Fontainbleau he had just stood there himself, captivated by the sight. At that time it had been dark and rainy, but that hadn't diminished the size and beauty of the building. Today was a fine day, already rather warm for May and the light brown facade was practically glowing. D'Artagnan threw a surreptitious glance at the woman standing beside him. She was just as beautiful as Louis' cousin with her hair open and her locks tumbling loosely across her shoulders. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a print t-shirt with a light blue blazer.

A small man came down the steps towards them. For Constance's taste he was dressed far to gaudily. Black patent leather shoes, green chinos, a red v-neck shirt and a navy blue jacket. The men immediately stood at attention.

"Dear cousin Anne, how are you? Did you have a comfortable journey?" The man approached Anne, took her hands and kissed them. Constance noticed that her friend, who had been rather relaxed around Aramis, a stranger, tensed in the presence of her cousin Louis.

"Thank you for your kind invitation and for sending four men for our protection, although that seems a little too much. It was a very quiet journey."

"Good, good." Louis seemed distracted, aimless.

"Monsieur, perhaps someone should show the ladies to their rooms. I am sure they would like to freshen up and get some rest." Porthos decided to help his employer out of his apparent misery.

"Oh yes, of course, the rooms."

"If the ladies would follow me, please." With an inviting gesture, Porthos proceeded to show the two women the way to their rooms.

Once inside the chateau the three guards didn't have to deal with the luggage, as there were enough servants.

"There will be a banquet tonight in honour of your arrival," Porthos explained to the women. "Other than that there are no fixed meal times, the King always dines in his rooms. And speaking of rooms, here are yours." He opened the double doors to a very large apartment with ornamented furniture. "You have a lovely view of the garden. A large bedroom, a living room and an office. Madame Constance, you will be one floor above us in apartment 48, which has a direct connection to this one here. I would now like to leave you to yourself. A servant will show you the way to dinner later. If you need anything just pull that rope over there, it's connected to a bell in the servants' rooms. You will be safe here."

"Thank you, Porthos." Anne squeezed his hand for a moment, before she turned to the window to look out into the garden. Porthos bowed briefly and left.

Constance started to deal with their luggage.

"Constance, I can take care of that myself. Please, go, take a look at your room and get some rest."

"You're right, I'll take a little nap. All these new impressions." Constance left too, leaving Anne alone with her thoughts.

Anne had just placed one of the last suitcases on the bed when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in," she called.

"Excuse the interruption, Madame, but I have your emergency phone for you. That way we can always locate you and the first four numbers on speed dial are our pager numbers, so that you can always contact us." Aramis placed the black cell phone on the table in the living room.

Anne came over to him. "Thank you. You went to a lot of trouble, seeing that I'm only his cousin."

"It's our job and we always take that very seriously. And now I'll let you get back to your unpacking." Aramis grinned at her mischievously. Anne was puzzled. Why was he grinning at her like that? Suddenly she blushed. The bra she had been about to put away when Aramis had come in was still in her hand. Quickly she tried to hide it behind her back.

"Madame," Aramis walked back to the door, the grin still on his face.

"Oh God, how embarrassing." Still blushing, Anne went back to her suitcase. "And it just had to be the one with the flowers, too." She huffed out a breath.

"Are you alright, Anne?" Constance, who had just entered the room, came over to her friend.

"Yes, yes, I just managed to embarrass myself a little."

Constance laughed. "It can't have been all that bad." Quickly the two women finished unpacking.

"Is your room alright?" Anne asked, worried for her friend as usual.

"Yes, thank you. It's more than alright, the room looks like a grand hotel."

Anne regarded her friend.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm fine. Let's not think about it and just enjoy the time."

"What put that grin on your face?" Porthos asked his friend.

"Nothing special, just the pleasures of a man." Aramis sat beside his friend at the table. They had a meeting in the office of their boss, Treville, in a few minutes, where they would be informed about the procedures for the next couple of days.

"Aramis, restrain yourself. She's the King's cousin and her friend is married." Athos gave his friend a serious, warning look, fully aware of his reputation and the problems his charm could cause.

"Married? To whom? She's still so young. And where is that man then? Did he let her travel here on her own?" D'Artagnan looked at his friends, astonished.

"Before you rake me over the coals for something that hasn't even happened yet, you'd better keep an eye on the little one here," Aramis said, pointing to D'Artagnan. Before the matter could turn into a discussion, Treville, the chief of security, came over to their table and the talk turned to the next couple of days.

"Tonight will be normal level 0 security. The gates are closed, the dogs are out in the outer rings and we have guards at the King's room and the ballroom."

"Maybe we should also have a guard at the cousin's room?" Athos looked at the others questioningly.

"That is covered by the cameras. The command center is staffed around the clock now."

"Any excursions planned?" Porthos got uo to get himself a Coke.

"You could have brought one for me too," Aramis interrupted Treville.

"If the Coke crisis has been dealt with…. tomorrow should be quiet. Maybe the garden or the woods."

With the meeting finished, the group broke up and went into the ballroom for the banquet.

Anne and Constance joined them there a few minutes later, taking seats at the upper end of the long table. Louis took his time appearing. The room slowly filled with people, and the noise level rose accordingly.

"Anne, where's is your cousin?"

"I don't know."

"Please don't wonder," Treville joined the conversation. As chief of security his place was at the upper end of the table too. "The King is always a little later. His sense of time is different from ours."

Half an hour later Louis arrived and dinner was served.


	3. A new day

**A new day **

Next morning, Anne got up early and walked around the castle on her own. The countless decorations and art work were fascinating, but it was rather hard not to get lost in the sprawling building. A short time later she came upon a very wide corridor, decorated with numerous paintings as well as an ornamented wallpaper. Anne walked past the paintings, but stopped suddenly and went back a few steps. What was that? There was a tear in the wallpaper in an unusual place, as if someone had cut through it. A painting in a large, heavy frame had been hung over it, but it didn't manage to cover the tear. She took a closer look, but she couldn't find anything else, so she moved on. Constance was surely up by now and today they wanted to see the grounds.

D'Artagnan approached apartment 48 and knocked on the door. Constance opened.

"Oh, Monsieur D'Artagnan, what can I do for you at this early hour?"

"Security Chief Treville sent me to ask if you already have a plan of what you and Anne would like to do this week. We should be prepared for everything, so that we can take the appropriate measures." D'Artagnan froze when he noticed that Constance was only wearing pajama shorts and a low-cut top, so that he had a very good view of what she had to offer.

"Oh, of course, I already put together a list. Please come in." Constance opened the door all the way and walked over to the desk.

"Please, you don't have to be so formal, but I don't understand – you put together a list?" D'Artagnan followed her slowly. He tried not to stare at her too openly, but it was difficult.

"Well, I'm not just her best friend, I help her in business matters as well. I'm her assistant, if you want to put it like that." Constance rummaged around on the desk, which was strewn with papers and an open laptop. A number of papers had slipped to the floor and D'Artagnan bent down to pick them up.

"Oh,thanks, but you don't have to do that, it's embarrassing for me." Constance blushed. D'Artagnan didn't reply, he just handed her the papers. "Ehm, yes, thanks. And here is the plan."

"Thank you and please excuse the disturbance." D'Artagnan left the room, leaving Constance still rooted to the spot, perplexed.

D'Artagnan walked down the corridor towards the employees' mess hall and joined his friends at their table.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Porthos asked around a mouthful of food.

"Well, at 2 o'clock the ladies want to visit the gardens. Everything is still quiet, so two of us should be enough. From tomorrow on it will be more difficult." D'Artagnan poured himself some coffee.

"How about you let us copy the plan, so that everyone of us has it, and we'll give the original to Treville. Who's going to volunteer for the gardens?" Athos asked, immediately taking charge.

"I'll do it. Aramis, do you want to come with me?" D'Artagnan looked at his friend questioningly.

"Since when are you so eager to volunteer for something? Could it have something to do with the fact that Constance – who is a married woman by the way – will be there too?" Aramis smirked at him.

"Just doing my job."

"Good, everything's settled then. D'Artagnan and Aramis are on duty today, Athos and I will check the equipment and discuss the next couple of days with Treville." Before Aramis could protest, Porthos got up and put his dishes away.

"Good morning, Constance."

"Good morning, Anne. Wonderful day for the gardens. Breakfast should be here any minute." Constance said, making some room on the large table in the living room area.

"Oh thanks, I had almost forgotten about that. I hope I can talk to Louis today about what I can do here. I would like to help him around here and also look into some social projects," Anne said, taking a seat at the table.

"I'm sure something suitable will come up," Constance said, smiling dreamily.

"What are you smiling about so early in the morning? Did you meet a certain someone?" Anne tried to get some information out of her friend, but a knock on the door saved Constance. She got up and brought in the breakfast tray. For a French breakfast it was a rather large selection: a selection of different breads and preserves, meats and cheeses, a variety of fruits, two glasses of orange juice and a large pot of coffee and two cups.

"I will ask my cousin for a meeting. When do we want to start today?"

"After lunch. We could take a picnic basket with us."

"Oh, that's a very good idea."

The two women enjoyed their meal and talked about their first night at a new place.

Before lunch Anne managed to see her cousin.

"Anne, I've been told that you wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes, thank you for sparing a little time for me. I would like to look into one or two social projects around here and I would like to help you with your work."

"Well, there's actually not all that much to choose from. There's a home for parentless children, they can always do with someone willing to help and you could take care of the financial part. I don't really trust my accountants and since you studied economics in Madrid, I think this would be the perfect task for you." Louis gave her a questioning look.

Anne smiled at him. "Of course, dear cousin. I'll go by the children's home and I'll keep an eye on your accountants. And now I'll let you get back to your business." She smiled at him again and left to go back to her rooms.

On the way there she met Aramis.

"Good morning, Anne, or rather good day. Have you made yourself at home yet?" Aramis asked giving her a small bow.

"Yes, thank you. Are you going to accompany us today?" Anne looked at him expectantly.

"Of course, if that is your wish. Unfortunately I'm a soldier so the beauty of nature isn't really my style."

"And what kind of beauty would be your style?" Anne started to enjoy their game. Aramis had something compelling and dangerous, and yet she had never felt so safe and protected with any other man, even though she hardly knew him.

"Well, I can certainly appreciate the beauty of the fairer sex," Aramis answered, before he left her.

"So, did you get a chance to speak to your cousin?" Constance had just tidied up after breakfast.

"Yes, luckily. I think I'll visit the children's home in the village and we need to take a look at the accounting."

"That's what I thought. I think we should skip lunch and take a picnic basket with us. Every minute we spend inside is keeping us out of the warm sunshine." Constance looked out of the window.

"You're right. We should go change and then we're ready to go."

For their little outing into the gardens Constance chose a thin summer dress with ballerina flats, while Anne decided on short trousers and a thin blouse. When there was a knock on the door, Constance went to answer it.

"Would the ladies be ready to leave?" D'Artagnan and Aramis were standing before her.

"Of course, we're ready to go." Anne came to the door as well, carrying a heavy picnic basket in her hand. Every inch the gentleman, Aramis immediately relieved her of the burden.

"Oh, thank you."

The two bodyguards led the women down a couple of corridors until they reached a side door. D'Artagnan opened the door for them and the women stepped outside into the courtyard.


	4. Incident

**Incident**

Incident

The courtyard was decorated with a circular lawn bordered by a brown sandstone path.

"This way." Aramis led the way. D'Artagnan was walking beside Constance, repeatedly looking over his shoulder.

"We aren't in any danger here, are we?" she asked, worried by his tension.

"No, no, but it never hurts to be prepared for anything," D'Artagnan replied, smiling at her.

Aramis led the women through an English garden and a small labyrinth of hedges, ending up at a lake.

"Oh, this really is a beautiful place for a picnic. Won't you join us, we brought too much for just the two of us anyway," Anne asked, looking at the two men.

"With pleasure. Why don't you go ahead and unpack, while we take a quick look around to make sure everything is secure." Aramis put down the picnic basket and headed in the direction of the pavilion, while D'Artagnan went to check on the woods. Constance and Anne busied themselves spreading a large checkered blanket on the ground and unpacking plates, cutlery and a variety of boxes containing baguettes, a variety of salads, sandwiches, fruit and desserts. Like Anne had said, far too much for just the two of them.

Constance smiled.

"What are you grinning at?" Anne asked.

"Oh, it's just that you're not in the habit of inviting a man to lunch. At least I have never seen you do it before."

Anne squirmed uncomfortably. "Well, you know I don't like it when food go to waste and people go hungry…."

"Yes, I know," Constance laughed. Anne couldn't help but laugh as well.

D'Artagnan went as far as the forest and looked along the perimeter. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he decided to go a few steps further, but the only thing he saw was a deer on the run. Satisfied that all was in order, he headed back to the lake.

Aramis arrived at the pavilion. He walked around it first and then took a look inside, finding nothing but a few clumps of earth. Equally satisfied, he headed back in the same direction as his friend.

Anne and Constance had already arranged everything and were pouring drinks into their glasses. The four of them relaxed and took the opportunity to get to know each other. D'Artagnan and Constance appeared to quite like each other and Anne was glad, that her friend had finally found someone who made a good impression. She knew how unhappy Constance was in her marriage. Aramis, however, was a mystery to her. He was polite and kept smiling at her when the other two weren't looking, but he never spoke directly to her. He just stared at her as if she were a work of art he couldn't keep his eyes off of.

"How do you like Chateau Fontainbleau? Isn't it a wonderful place for a holiday?" D'Artagnan looked at the two women.

"Well, it really is a very romantic castle, very fitting for France and for my cousin with all his pomp. But we're not just here for a holiday."

"But you do have to relax some time, don't you?" Aramis spoke directly to Anne.

"I find it very relaxing when I can help people," Anne answered, smiling at him. Their eyes held contact for quite a while and Constance noted the tension.

"I think it's getting a little cold."

"Yes, the temperature does seem to have gone down somewhat, I think we should pack up again. I need to prepare something for the children's home, too."

Constance and Anne packed the remains of the picnic back into the basket. D'Artagnan helped them, while Aramis took a last look around. Not finding anything out of the ordinary, he turned back to the ladies. Wait, stop, wasn't there something behind the trees? Quickly he stepped in front of Anne, pulling his weapon from the shoulder holster. D'Artagnan noticed his colleague's quick movement and did the same. Anne and Constance were startled and frightened. Their line of sight was blocked by the men's solid bodies. D'Artagnan and Aramis were tense and kept looking in the direction of the forest. The women were at their backs, with the lake behind them. A very good situation for them, less so for a possible attacker.

"There, do you see him? He's running towards the north wall." Aramis was the first to spot the black-clad man.

"Do we follow him?" D'Artagnan asked.

"No, we'll stay her with the ladies. Send a message to Porthos and Athos and alert the guards, maybe they'll catch him." Aramis lowered his weapon, but didn't holster it yet. "Are you alright?" he asked, giving Anne a worried look.

"Yes, thanks, we're just a little frightened. We had no idea that the danger would be so direct and so close." Anne slowly recovered her composure. That their two bodyguards had reacted so quickly, showed her how serious the danger was, but also how safe they were with them.

"We packed everything, so we're ready to leave." Constance had gotten over the first shock and was thinking practically again. She was still afraid, but she knew that it wouldn't be any help. The little group walked along the shore of the lake, always on guard for possible movements in the vicinity. With weapons drawn, Aramis walked closely beside Anne, with D'Artagnan and Constance behind them.

Treville was waiting for them at the door. "Are you alright?"

"May I introduce Captain Treville, he's head of security for King Louis." Aramis introduced Constance and Anne.

"Nice to meet you. Yes, we are fine, thanks to our protectors. But we feel even safer behind the thick castle walls."

"I can believe that."

Anne liked Treville. He was a little older than the others, with grey hair and he made a friendly impression.

"I will accompany you upstairs." Aramis held the door open for them.

"D'Artagnan, Aramis, meeting in twenty minutes. Make sure the ladies are safe in their rooms," Treville ordered. Anne smiled gratefully at him and stepped through the door with Constance behind her.

In Anne's rooms, Aramis checked every nook and cranny to see if anyone had managed to find a way into the castle, while D'Artagnan accompanied Constance up to her rooms.

"I didn't know that thieves could sneak into the castle."

"That wasn't a thief. We seldom have thefts at the castle, because no one dares to steal something from under the king's nose, but to try to hurt him or his loved ones, that can happen. That's why we are here." D'Artagnan tried to reassure Constance. "I'll check your rooms to make sure there are no signs of forced entry."

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you."

While D'Artagnan checked the windows and doors for any signs of a break-in and looked in all the possible hiding places, Constance watched him. She found it strange that such a young man spent all of his time and energy for a man who didn't seem to be very likeable. She wondered if there was anyone – a woman perhaps – for whom he was earning the money. If she were together with him, she would never demand something like that. She tried to get rid of that thought again as quickly as possible.

"Are you alright?" D'Artagnan came over to her slowly. He had noticed her shaking her head, seeming lost in thought.

"Ehm… yes, of course. I was just wondering what there was to see outside of the castle."

"Fontainbleau isn't very big. A cafe, a small shop, that's pretty much all there is, but we're not all that far from Paris. There's a lot to see there." He grinned at her. She seemed to be just as adventurous as he was. He liked his job and the tasks he had to do, but sometimes life outside the city seemed a little too monotonous. In those cases, he went to Paris and lost himself in the little streets.

"I will suggest it to Anne, I'm sure she'll have nothing against a little trip."

When D'Artagnan was satisfied that apartment 48 was safe, he returned to Treville's office, where Aramis was already waiting for him.

Treville was standing behind his desk, poring over plans of the building and grounds. Aramis was sitting on a chair in front of the desk.

"D'Artagnan, do you have anything to add to Aramis' report?" Treville asked, indicating a sheet of paper which had already been filled out by Aramis. D'Artagnan took it and dropped onto the second chair. After a short while he put the paper back on the desk. "No, that's what I saw as well. I didn't notice anything else, since our first priority was the security of the ladies. Were Porthos and Athos able to do anything?"

With a sigh, Treville sat down. "No, they told me they had discovered two traces of a hasty flight, but they didn't catch anyone."


	5. A secon day

**[Geben Sie hier den Titel des Beitrags ein]**

A new day

Compared to the rest of the day, the evening was very quiet. Constance joined Anne in her rooms for dinner to keep her company. The menu for tonight consisted of duck a l'Orange with a foil potato and salad, with strawberries for desert.

"Oh, Constance, I completely forgot to tell Treville that I want to visit my brother's bank tomorrow and meet with the accountants. Do you think it will be enough if we let him know tomorrow morning?" Anne looked at her friend questioningly.

"Don't worry, I will go to his office and leave him a message."

"No, I don't want to bother you with that. You need your rest as well."

"It's no bother. I want to take a little walk before I go back to my rooms anyway, so just write him a note."

Anne went over to the writing desk and wrote a short message.

Constance got up. "Do you need me to prepare anything for tomorrow?"

"No, thanks. Shall we meet at 9 o'clock for breakfast?"

"With pleasure. Have a good night."

"You too, thanks."

Constance left and Anne went into the bathroom to get ready for bed, while the servants cleared away the dinner dishes.

Constance was already able to find her way around the chateau, so she arrived at Treville's office a short time after she had left Anne. There was still light inside, so she knocked on the door and slowly entered when she heard a "come in" from inside. She saw that all four bodyguards were still sitting in front of the desk.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't want to interrupt anything," she apologized, blushing.

"Don't worry about it. Please, take a seat." D'Artagnan jumped up and offered her his chair.

"Oh, thanks," Constance said, blushing even more, "but that will not be necessary. I just came to let you know that Anne wants to visit the bank and the accountants tomorrow. Here's a short message from her for you, Monsieur Treville." She handed over the letter.

"Thank you, Madame Bonacieux," Treville replied. "I'll organize everything for tomorrow. Do you want someone to see you to your room?"

"No, thanks, I can find my own way. I don't want to bother you any longer."

D'Artagnan looked after her retreating form until he heard Treville pointedly clearing his throat. The young man sat down again, pulling his attention back to the matter at hand.

"Seems like we'll have a busy day tomorrow." Aramis stretched out his legs, trying to find a more comfortable position on the hard chair, as they still needed to talk about the schedule for the next day.

"I think we should have two men inside and two outside, plus chauffeurs and a quick response team on standby." Athos was already back in planning mode. Treville simply nodded and pointed out strategic spots and possible danger points on the map. The meeting ran deep into the night.

"I think we covered everything. D'Artagnan and Aramis inside? Will you be able to stay professional?" Treville gave the two men in question a searching look.

"Who, we? We're the textbook definition of professional," Aramis said, grinning at him.

"Good, then Athos and Porthos, you two will be responsible for outside security. You'd better take two cars, that should make it more difficult to know who is in which car."

"Okay, in that case I'll go and get some sleep. We need to be well rested for tomorrow." Porthos got up and left, with the others following him.

Anne was getting ready for the coming day. She had chosen a pastel pink sheath dress with matching peeptoes. Her makeup already done, she now tried to select some jewelry.

"Take the pearl bracelet, it always makes you look very elegant."

"Oh, Constance, I didn't hear you come in," Anne said, noticing that her friend had decided on brown suede boots, skinny jeans, a blouse and a matching blazer. Her only jewelry was a long necklace and a pair of earrings.

"Breakfast is ready. Oh and I was able to deliver your message to Treville in person last night."

"Oh good, then let's eat."

On the way over to the table, Anne put in a pair of earrings and closed the clasp on the bracelet.

Both women took their seats at the table and Constance poured coffee for the two of them, while Anne did the same with the orange juice. They had just about finished the last bite when they heard a knock on the door. Constance moved to get up, but Anne stopped her. "It's okay, I'll get it." She went to open the door and found D'Artagnan standing before her.

"Good morning. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. The cars are waiting for you," the young man said.

"Thanks, we'll be ready in a moment."

D'Artagnan left again as Anne closed the door.

"I already packed our handbags, so we're good to go," Constance said, handing Anne a Burkin bag and a thermo cup.

"I hope that's large enough," Anne said, laughing. "If we'll be spending the whole day dealing with numbers, I'm going to need a lot of coffee."

Constance laughed with her.

Handbags and coffee cups in hand, the two women went down to the front door, where the four bodyguards were already waiting for them. After a short round of greetings, the women were ushered into the cars. Anne was surprised.

"Why do Constance and I have to take separate cars?" she asked.

"It's for your safety, Madame. this way no one knows who is in which car." Aramis turned around to explain the situation to Anne, while Athos concentrated on driving.

"Well, we certainly need to change that. I will speak with Monsieur Treville when we get back."

It was obvious that Anne was not happy with the situation. However, the quiet ride and the beautiful landscape outside quickly made her forget her irritation and she enjoyed the short drive.

When the small convoy had reached its destination, Aramis opened the door for her.

"Thanks, that's very kind," Anne said, giving him a brief smile, before she remembered that she wasn't here for pleasure. With Constance at her side, she entered the bank.


	6. confusing number

confusing numbers

After a two hour drive the two SUVs arrived at the bank, located in the west of Paris, in La Defense, a quarter of predominantly high rises, one taller and wider than the other. The ladies walked up to the entrance, with Aramis and D'Artagnan following behind them, while Porthos and Aramis stayed with the cars.

Inside the bank, Constance went over to the reception desk to announce them. After a ten minute wait a short round man came around a corner and hurried over to the group. Aramis rose from where he had been sitting and moved closer to Anne.

"Ah, Madame, we have been informed of your unexpected arrival. Unfortunately we have to tell you that we cannot grant you access to your cousin's files." The man cleared his throat.

D'Artagnan smiled slightly. The poor guy had beads of sweat on his face and kept wringing his pudgy fingers - not exactly an imposing figure. And Aramis' looming presence didn't seem to help matters either.

Anne wasn't deterred by the dismissal. "Well, my assistant has called you and scheduled this appoint ment and I have a letter from my cousin, giving me full authorization."

On cue, Constance handed the man the letter in question. "Now please escort us upstairs, we'd like to start working," she said, not liking the way the man wanted to dismiss Anne so easily.

Now D'Artagnan rose as well. The man, visibly nervous by now, kept his eyes glued to the ground. "I am sorry, Madame, but you need a specific document, signed by your cousin, the king, in our presence."

"Well, this looks like a futile discussion, Madame." Aramis had turned slightly towards Anne so that their faces were rather close. Anne glanced up at him and for a moment silence reigned, before Anne reminded herself of the place and the circumstances and cleared her throat. "I think we will come back tomorrow. Please have the document ready by then, as well as a room for us to work in."

D'Artagnan pulled a small walkie-talkie out of his jacket pocket and contacted Athos to let them know that they would go back to the cars now.

"Very well, Madame, I will see to it right away. Have a nice day."

Back at the cars D'Artagnan opened the door for Constance. "So, where do you want to go, now that the plans for today have changed?" he asked.

"Is there a good restaurant around here?"

"I know a very good Italian restaurant which I can highly recommend."

Anne was delighted about the idea and had Constance reserve a table for six while they were on the way.

The restaurant was in a small side street in the heart of Paris. Due to a special parking permit they quickly found a parking space. The restaurant itself was cozy and inviting, furnished in traditional Italian style. They were led to a large table and had a relaxed, informal lunch.

"Don't you miss Spain?" Porthos asked the ladies.

"Well, I do miss the warm sun and the beautiful countryside. But on the other hand it's very nice to visit the family and be able to help – although we haven't been very successful with that so far."

"Which we are going to change immediately. And tomorrow we'll sort out matters with the bank." As usual Constance had a positive outlook on the day and infected Anne with her good mood.

After the good meal, the small group walked back to the SUVs.

"Too bad we can't just take a little stroll through the city," Constance sighed.

"We could change that if you'd like. I'm sure you can get a day off, can't you?" D'Artagnan asked, walking beside her.

"Welll, since this is supposed to be my vacation, that shouldn't be a problem," Constance said, giving him a brief smile.

"Very good, in that case I'll take you away for a very special tour through Paris," D'Artagnan said, smiling back at her, as he held the car door open for her. Constance thankfully took his hand as she climbed into the SUV.

After a couple of minutes drive through the Paris rush-hour they arrived at the accountant's office. Anne was talking on the phone. "Of course, Captain, I understand. But for the future, I want Constance to ride with me. This way we'll be better able to plan and organize our activities. I am sure that you will find a suitable solution." Anne handed the phone to Aramis. Constance watched, slightly confused, as Aramis ended the call a little later.

The accountant was already waiting for them at the entrance. "Madame Anne, - may I call you that? Finally I get to meet you. How lovely you look. I am Monsieur Rochefort, the king's most trusted accountant. Please follow me into my office."

Rochefort took her hand and tried to kiss it. Clearly uncomfortable with the situation, Anne tried to pull it away. Just like in the bank, Aramis stood close beside her.

"Oh I think you won't need your bodyguards in here. Too many long and boring numbers for the gentlemen." Rochefort said, throwing a disdainful look at Aramis, who didn't let it rile him. "I will accompany her. Numbers don't deter me, I have a weapon." With these words, Aramis led Anne past Rochefort into the building. Anne was relieved to have circumvented the kiss on the hand.

Porthos and Aramis exchanged a knowing look. "D'Artagnan, go with Aramis, we'll stay in the background."

D'Artagnan gave a short nod. Before Rochefort could turn to Constance, D'Artagnan had already led her through the door gently but decisively.

After two obsequious hours of going through the books, Anne closed the last ledger and gave Rochefort a short smile. "Thank you for your help, Monsieur Rochefort. So far I am satisfied with the accounts. I think we'll be on our way now."

"Oh yes, of course, don't let me keep you," Rochefort answered. As polite as he had been at the beginning, now all he wanted was to get Anne far away from his accounts.

Back at the cars Constance turned to Anne. "Forgive my little rant, but how can you say that the books are alright? Didn't you see the postings and the wrong invoice dates? The accounts actually come up to very different numbers. There's something very wrong here!"

Anne smiled at her friend and put on her sunglasses. "That's just what I noticed as well, but there's no need to let Rochefort know that. For now he feels secure. Tomorrow we will have his whole stock moved to the chateau and check everything for ourselves. But at first glance the books are clean – there's not a single coffee stain on them." Anne explained, smiling. Now Constance had to smile as well.


End file.
